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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Prepper: Essential Tips to Keep You Alive When the Power Grid Goes Down

Prepper, Survivalism & Health

Essential Tips to Keep You Alive When the Power Grid Goes Down

This blog is LOADED with the latest as it relates to this area...

There were many whistleblowers who managed to expose the flaws and
vulnerabilities of our power grid. Last year, the government was forced
to recognize that it is not a scenario invented by “crazy survivalists”.
Even more, the White House admitted that they are preparing for events
that could destroy the power grid (source).

Blizzards,
solar storms and even EMPs are all events that will affect the power
grid and leave you in the dark. When the power grid goes down you will
be cut off completely from the conveniences you’ve lived with your
entire life. If it will come to that and the power grid goes down the
following tips can help you cope with the situation comfortably and
safely.
More and more people are starting to understand that our power grid
is vulnerable and it is one of the main threats that can bring our
country to its knees.
Unfortunately, as this scenario is becoming a wake-up call for some,
there will always be those saying that the government has a plan for all
of us and that we will be saved. I don’t know about you, but I prefer
to make my own plans and make sure I’m prepared to face a scenario in
which the power grid is no longer working.
The following tips will keep you alive when the power grid goes down, regardless if you are a prepper or an average Joe.

General preparedness

Develop plans for short terms (2-3 days) and long-term (2-3 weeks or
months) outages. All the plans you make and all the supplies you
stockpile can be used for more than one emergency. Nothing goes to waste
when it comes to emergency preparedness.
You should practice your skills in the great outdoors, where the grid
is not available. This will be a test to see how well you can handle
the situation when the power grid goes down and you will return to a
rudimentary life.
Your gear is not for show, you didn’t buy it to throw it all in a
corner of your house. You should get familiar with it and use it to
practice the skills that will help you survive when the power grid goes
down.
Stockpile more than you need because those supplies will prove
useful, regardless the crisis scenario you will have to face. Key items
such as batteries, fuel and warm items should be considered for this
scenario. Don’t forget to also stockpile items that can be used for
barter if the grid is down for an extended period of time.
Have an exit plan and know how to follow it when the time comes.
Regardless of how well-prepared you are, sooner or later you will have
to leave your home. Get yourself a new or used bicycle, a touring or
mountain bike and equip it with saddlebags that can carry everything you
need in order to reach your safe haven.

Electric needs

After Snowzilla, generator sales have increased and many people
bought one just to make sure they won’t be caught unprepared next time.
You shouldn’t wait for a storm to hit your area to get one and you
should already have one in your garage.
Stockpile batteries in a variety of size because these items will be
of great value when the grid is down. Even more, learn how to
recondition your batteries and squeeze out all their juice.
Install solar panels now or get a generator that works with solar
panels. You should integrate these solutions as an adjunct to your use
of utility power.
Get your hands on some small alternative solutions to generate electricity such as thermoelectric generators devices. The Biolite Campstove and the Power Pot
are two of the products appreciated by survivalists and off-gridders.
These devices are great multi taskers and will allow you to turn the
heat you use to cook or warm yourself into electricity.

Learn and stockpile for bartering

You can use your skills and trade them for items you might need.
Basic medical skills, small motor repair, gunsmithing are all great
“currencies” to barter with and if you have any of these skills, you are
in luck. If you don’t possess any skill that can be used for bartering
purposes, you can always stockpile on items that feeds people’s vices
and needs. Stockpiling on items such as:

Water needs

Water is essential to survival and you should stockpile three week’s
worth of water so you have it on hand before a crisis happens. You
should have at least one bathtub reservoir
that can be filled as soon as you find out the water supply is down.
Learn about the hidden water sources from your house and how to drain
them of every drop.
Make sure you are able to collect water and improvise a rain water
catching system if your local laws allow it. Buy a water pump that can
be used with local water sources like streams, lakes or ponds. Learn how
to purify your water and have a few reliable water filters at hand.Suggested reading:Emergency water solutions

Sewage and sanitation

Survival sanitation is a dirty job and you will have to take care of
it if you don’t want to get sick. This is one of the subjects that
nobody likes to talk about. It is better to prepare for this in advance
rather than dealing with a nasty situation when the crisis is in full
effect. You should invest in waterless toilets like the ones sold in
camping or boating stores. Even more, you should learn to recycle water
for different purposes. I’ve written in a previous article about how you can handle survival sanitation during a crisis, I recommend reading it because it provides valuable info.

Communication needs

If the power grid goes down, communication will be an impossible task
if you haven’t prepped for it when you had the chance. All your
communication devices should be stored in a faraday cage or a faraday
bag and you should have extra batteries for them. Get a battery powered
radio and invest in a set of two way handled radios with different
frequencies for family communication in case mobile phones will die. You
should also research alternative methods to communicate with friends
and family.

Food needs

Stockpiling the right food and heaving a well-equipped survival
pantry will help you outlast any major disaster. You should stockpile a
month’s worth of food to begin with and you should get only the food
that your family is used to eating. You don’t want to experiment on them
with your alternative cooking based on new ingredients you can
scavenge. You should do “cooking runs” at least once a week with the
supplies you have stored in your pantry using your “off-the grid”
cooking equipment. You will be surprised how many things you can learn
(cooking time is different; you discover you lack ingredients for
certain recipes, etc.)Suggested reading:Best foods to stockpile for when the power grid goes down

Heat needs

Conserving heat can become a problem when the power grid goes down,
especially during the cold season. You should make sure you stay warm,
otherwise you won’t wake up to fight another day. Everyone should
stockpile their chosen source of heat (wood, propane gas, stove fuel,
etc.) and they should have a backup for their backup plan. You should
buy and practice with stove and heaters that work with your chosen type
of fuel. The stove you buy should run on a variety of fuels so that you
always have something that works with the fuel that is available. The
stove should be installed in the room where everyone can gather during
the day and sleep at night. If you want to conserve heat another
alternative would be to get used to living in your basement. When you
are 6 feet below ground, the temperature stays at around 60 degrees,
regardless if it is cold or hot outside. You should also learn how to
make improvised heaters and the internet is full of solutions, more or
less complicated.
Some of the tips listed above you have probably already done or
integrated into your emergency plan. If you haven’t put them into common
practice you should really consider them. Always think outside of the
box and chose solutions that have multiple applications. Think of what
you depend on each day and figure out what you can do to replace it when
the power grid goes down.Stay safe and God Bless!

How to Make an All-Night Campfire with Only One Log

Low on wood at your local camp-site? Tired of hauling logs from one
end of the property to the other? Is your BBQ pit rusting through or on
it’s last leg?
Well this amazing “hack” (pun intended) will revolutionize your next outdoor cooking experience!

Rumors claim “The Swedish Torch” was thought up by a train hopper who
used the clever trick to stay warm in between train rides. The Swedish
Torch is as simple as it is brilliant and is sure to maximize efficiency
at your next campout.

Here’s how to make a Swedish Torch:

1. Start by getting yourself a log that is rather wide and is flat on the top and bottom.
2. With a saw or large cutting tool, make two or three cross-hair
cuts across the top of the log, cutting around 3/4ths of the way down.
3. Start a fire on top with kindling or a Bernie and watch as the airflow beneath the fire breaths life to it as it catches the top of the log ablaze.
4. As the fire on the top of log burns, coals will fall down to then
bottom of the log, igniting the lower parts of the log and providing you
with a long-lasting and hot fire.

How to Make a Swedish Torch

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a
“superfood.” Its unique combination of fatty acids can have profound
positive effects on health. This includes fat loss, better brain
function and various other amazing benefits.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of coconut oil that have been experimentally confirmed in human studies.

Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains
saturated fat. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated (1).
However, new data is showing that saturated fats are harmless. Many
massive studies that include hundreds of thousands of people prove that
the whole “artery-clogging” idea was a myth (2).

Additionally, coconut oil doesn’t contain your average run-of-the-mill saturated fats like you would find in cheese or steak.
No, they contain so-called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length.
Most of the fatty acids in the diet are so-called long-chain fatty
acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized
differently.
They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they
are used as a quick source energy or turned into so-called ketone
bodies, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like
epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.
Bottom Line: Coconut oil contains a lot of medium chain
triglycerides, which are metabolized differently and can have
therapeutic effects on several brain disorders.

2. Populations That Eat a LOT of Coconut Are Among The Healthiest People on The Planet

Coconut is kind of an “exotic” food in the Western world, primarily consumed by health conscious people.
However, in some parts of the world, coconut is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for many generations.
The best example of such a population is the Tokelauans, which live in the South Pacific.
They eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts and are the biggest consumers of saturated fat in the world.
These people are in excellent health, with no evidence of heart disease (3).
Another example of a population that eats a lot of coconut and remains in excellent health is the Kitavans (4).
Bottom Line: Plenty of populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of coconut.

Obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.
While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others
(myself included) believe that the sources of those calories are
critical too.
It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways. In this regard, a calorie is NOT a calorie.
The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase
energy expenditure compared to the same amount of calories from longer
chain fats (5, 6).
One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour
energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day (7).
Bottom Line: The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been
shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure by as much as 5%,
potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.

4. The Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Can Kill Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, Helping to Stave Off Infections

Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid.
When coconut oil is enzymatically digested, it also forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin.
Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi (8).

For example, these substances have been shown to kill the bacteria
Staphylococcus Aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida
Albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans (9, 10).
Bottom Line: The fatty acids and breakdown products in coconut oil
can kill harmful pathogens, potentially helping to prevent infections.

5. Coconut Oil Can Kill Your Hunger, Making You Eat Less Without Even Trying

One interesting feature of coconut oil is that it can reduce your hunger.
This may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized,
because ketone bodies can have an appetite reducing effect (11).
In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to 6 healthy men.
The men eating the most MCTs ate 256 fewer calories per day, on average (12).
Another study in 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the
most MCTs at breakfast ate significantly fewer calories at lunch (13).
These studies were small and only done for a short period of time. If
this effect were to persist over the long term, it could have a
dramatic influence on body weight over a period of several years.
Bottom Line: The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce
appetite, which may positively affect body weight over the long term.

6. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can Reduce Seizures

A so-called ketogenic (very low carb, very high fat) diet is currently being studied to treat various disorders.
The best known therapeutic application of this diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children (14).
This diet involves eating very little carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations of ketone bodies in the blood.
For some reason, this diet can dramatically reduce the rate of
seizures in epileptic children, even those who haven’t had success with
multiple different types of drugs.
Because the MCTs in coconut oil get shipped to the liver and turned
into ketone bodies, they are often used in epileptic patients to induce
ketosis while allowing for a bit more carbs in the diet (15, 16).
Bottom Line: The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration
of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in epileptic children.

Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats, which actually do not harm the blood lipid profile like previously thought.
Saturated fats raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and change the LDL cholesterol to a benign subtype (17, 18).
In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced Total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil (19).
There are also rat studies showing that coconut oil reduces
triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL and improves
blood coagulation factors and antioxidant status (20, 21).
This improvement in cardiovascular risk factors should theoretically lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over the long term.
Bottom Line: Studies in both humans and rats show that coconut oil
improves important risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol,
which may translate to a reduced risk of heart disease.

Coconut oil can serve various purposes that have nothing to do with eating it.
Many people are using it for cosmetic purposes and to improve the health and appearance of their skin and hair.
Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin (22).
Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage and one
study shows effectiveness as sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s
ultraviolet rays (23, 24)
Another application is using it like mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can kill some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth, improve dental health and reduce bad breath (25, 26, 27).
Bottom Line: Coconut oil can be applied topically as well, studies
showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against
hair damage. It can also be used as a mild form of sunscreen and as
mouthwash.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and occurs primarily in elderly individuals.
In Alzheimer’s patients, there appears to be a reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain.
Ketone bodies can supply energy for the brain and researchers have
speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for
these malfunctioning cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s (28).
In one 2006 study, consumption of medium chain triglycerides lead to
an immediate improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms
of Alzheimer’s (29).
Other studies support these findings and medium chain triglycerides
are being intensively studied as potential therapeutic agents in
Alzheimer’s disease (30, 31).
Bottom Line: Studies show that the fatty acids in coconut oil can
increase blood levels of ketone bodies, supplying energy for the brain
cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

10. Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat, Especially The Dangerous Fat in Your Abdominal Cavity

Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help you lose weight.
Coconut oil appears to be especially effective in reducing abdominal
fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.
This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many Western diseases.
Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.
A study in 40 women with abdominal obesity, supplementing with 30 mL (1 ounce) of coconut oil per day lead to a significant reduction in both BMI and waist circumference in a period of 12 weeks (19).
Another study in 20 obese males noted a reduction in waist
circumference of 2.86 cm (1.1 inches) after 4 weeks of 30 mL (1 ounce)
of coconut oil per day (32).
This number may not seem too impressive on the surface, but be aware
that these people aren’t adding exercise or restricting calories.
They’re losing significant amounts of abdominal fat simply by adding
coconut oil to their diet.

11. Anything Else?

If you want to enjoy the immense health benefits of coconut oil, then
make sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil… NOT the refined stuff.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg. People are using coconut oil for all sorts of things with incredible success.

One of the most
important things that we, as human beings, have lost is the knowledge of
how to be self reliant. We have also lost the understanding of why it
is so important to be self reliant and self sustaining. We have grown
so used to others providing us with everything we could possibly want,
(as long as you have the money to pay for it) that we have no idea how
to take care of ourselves.

Look
at it this way; if you took the average city dwelling person and put
him on a farm without access to any stores, how long do you think they
would be able to live? The sad fact is we have almost none of the
skills required to take care of ourselves, even if someone plopped you
down on a fully working and thriving farm.

These
are basics skills that our ancestors took for granted. Things taught
to children without even thinking about it. Little by little, as time
has passed, we have moved away from doing for ourselves to buying
everything we need from other sources. Almost 100% of people that live
in the city that are under 60 have never killed an animal for food.
Most have never killed an animal for any reason short of vet
administered euthanasia. Almost as many have never made any of their
own clothing. Schools no longer even teach "home ec" as they used
to.....how to cook and sew and such. When did it become unnecessary to
know how to do these things?

You may think that buying what you
need is good, as long as you have stores and money. This view is rather
short sighted because it does not take into consideration one thing:
it is not self sustaining. It also makes for a lifestyle that is
centers on reliance on others instead of self reliance. This is
dangerous on a few levels, the biggest being what would happen if all
those convenient stores were to suddenly shut down? Most city dwellers
would be unable to keep themselves alive.

Is this the legacy you want to leave your children?

Living
a self sustaining and self reliant lifestyle is not something you can
just suddenly start doing. Most of us do not have the skills necessary
to live, even partially, without the convenience of stores to provide
for our needs. If you want to change your life in the direction of self
reliance, you must do so purposefully and with a plan. When I realized
this, I sat down and wrote these 6 steps to start living in a more self
sustaining and self reliant way.

1. Limit Buying Things New
- When buying something, ask yourself "Do I need a new _________ or can
I buy it used? Buying things used not only cuts down on the energy
spent manufacturing, shipping and handling new items, it is also cheaper
and it helps out the person you are purchasing it from.

2. Reduce the Waste That We Create
- This is especially important if the waste is plastic. Avoid buying
items that are packaged in plastic. Try to avoid items that are encased
in styrofoam. You can accomplish this in the grocery store by buying
organic and by making sure that you always bring your own reusable bags.

3. Limit or Cut Out Processed Foods - This
is good for you as well as the environment. Processed foods like chips,
crackers and single serving type foods are almost always in plastic
containers and are high in salt, sugar, fat and calories. Reducing the
amount of these unhealthy foods is not only good for you, it is good for
the environment, just that much less plastic in landfills or thrown in
the ocean. Make it a habit to shop at local farmers markets or to buy
from local roadside stands. This benefits everyone, and you can bet
there will be a lot less pesticides on what you buy.

4. Try to Re-Purpose Everything at Least Once Before You Toss or Recycle It
- Cut down that shoe box and use it as a drawer organizer. Poke holes
in the bottom of that coffee can and use it as a planter. Save the
glass jars that mayonnaise and salad dressing come in and make your own
to re-fill them. Paint that table instead of throwing it away. For
every item that you re-purpose, you are saving money and helping the
environment.

5. Learn to Cook From Scratch and Don't Waste Food
- The items you cook will be much healthier with less additives and
preservatives. Any food left over should be reworked into the meals of
the next day, so the food will not be wasted. You will save a lot of
money by eating at home instead of going out to eat and also by cooking
food instead of buying the more expensive and plastic encased
preprocessed food.

And Most Important is .......

6. Learn to Do Things Yourself
- This covers everything in your life from learning out to sew on a
button, to painting your own house. Learn new skills that will make you
less reliant on others to get things done. Home improvement stores
regularly have free classes, so go to some! If you learn how to do
something for yourself, that is something no one can ever take away
from you. One of the best things you can do with any new skill that
you learn is to teach it to someone else!

Converting your
lifestyle from that of a consumer to something more self sustaining
cannot be done overnight. It takes a plan and a concentrated effort. A
more thoughtful way of living is essential. Instead of just numbly
working and buying, working and buying, you must think about the things
you do and how best to do them so that you can depend less on others and
more on yourself.

Making Your Own Low Cost Probiotics

Well the science is in folks, and has been for some time! Probiotics
are essential to maintaining a healthy gut, and a strong immune system.
A properly functioning digestive system is the key to good health.
You can grow, purchase, and eat all of the organic, mineral dense,
beyond awesome food you want, but if you are not digesting and absorbing
those nutrients then it is all for naught.
The same can be said for all of the fancy vitamin supplements, and
even many of the probiotic supplements that are out there. There’s an
old saying that goes something like: “garbage in, garbage out.” Anyway,
there’s good news. You can grow your own probiotic nutritional
supplements right in your homestead kitchen, or barn, or hallway closet…
The point is you can be in control of your health and not have to
depend on high dollar supplements grown in some lab someplace hundreds
of miles away!

The Top 5 Probiotic Foods on Our Homestead

I put together a list of the top five probiotic-rich foods that we
are currently or have in the past made and consumed here on the Traditional Catholic Homestead (www.traditionalcatholichomestead.com):

#1 – Kefir: We make both
dairy and water kefir at home. It’s super simple, and easy to keep the
process going perpetually. We usually go through about a gallon and a
half of kefir per week in our household.

#2 – Kombucha: Another super simple and easily propagated probiotic beverage. The Traditional Catholic Homestead family consumes anywhere from 3 to 6 gallons of continuously brewed kombucha per week. Here’s how we brew ours: Brewing Kombucha.
I really like experimenting with different herbs and teas in our
brews. I’ve even heard of someone making Mountain Dew-flavored kombucha
(though I wouldn’t recommend it)!

Note: Kefir grains and kombucha SCOBY will grow and reproduce so you can propagate the cultures and give away or sell the surplus.

#3 – Sauerkraut: The old
homestead standby! There are a million different recipes for fermented
kraut that you can make at home. As long as you don’t can the finished
product it will be a probiotic-rich powerhouse. The beauty of
sauerkraut is that it doesn’t require any fancy inoculants or cultures
to get going. A true kraut is like a sourdough bread starter… made from
wild cultures that occur all around us! Other than cabbage (or seed),
no start up costs!

#4 – Other Fermented Veggies:
The same process and bacteria used to make sauerkraut can be used to
ferment any number of other veggies. Just use what you like or what you
have in abundance. We’ve fermented carrot sticks, salsa, shredded
beets with carrots, garlic… you name it. The possibilities are
literally limited by your imagination and tastes!

#5 – Homebrew!!! Most
people wouldn’t think of homemade beer, hard ciders, mead, or wine as a
probiotic food, but if you think about it, they are. Any of your
homebrews will have living yeasts present throughout the beverage (as
long as you don’t pasteurize it, but who does that, right!). I know
there is a big push in some circles to eliminate yeast from our diets,
but they are an essential part of our digestive process. They just need
to be kept in balance. Plus, homebrew is awesome!!!

Honorable mention goes to homemade vinegars. These are the living
vinegars with the “mother” culture still in them. We haven’t made any
yet, so I didn’t include them in this list, but homemade apple cider
vinegar is coming soon to the repertoire of fermented foods on The Traditional Catholic Homestead.

Honey is one of nature's most amazing gifts. It's a substance which
offers dozens of useful and health-boosting properties aside from its
wonderful, sweet flavor. All serious preppers should make sure to obtain
a sizable quantity of raw, natural honey to add to their survival stockpiles.

It's
one of the few foods that has an unlimited shelf life; honey will never
go bad due to its antibacterial properties, which are also part of what
makes it so healthy. Considering its versatility in the kitchen, along
with its medicinal value, honey is likely to prove to be an extremely
valuable commodity to have on hand during a long-term survival
situation.

One of the key things to remember when obtaining a quantity of honey is to make sure it is natural and unpasteurized.
Most of the honey you'll see on the shelf at the grocery store has been
pasteurized, which robs it of many of its healthful properties.

"Commercial
honey has also had most of the pollen removed. Bee pollen is considered
to be one of the most nutritionally-complete foods available because of
its high amino acid and antioxidant content. Most commercial honey sold
in stores is heated to high temperatures and pasteurized, getting rid
of most of the beneficial enzymes, antioxidants and other nutrients that
are heat-sensitive," reports All Self Sustained on its website.

Beware of commercial honey

Much
of the honey on the commercial market – as much as 76 percent,
according to one independent researcher – has been ultra-filtered and
contains no pollen at all.

This pseudo-honey is not only devoid of any healthful properties, but it may also contain pesticides, along with other toxins.

As reported by Canada's The Organic Prepper:

"Ultrafiltering removes the pollen so that the source of the honey
cannot be determined. Providers of cheap honey do this so that
consumers cannot discover the origin. Often the cheap honey is tainted
with pesticides, illegal antibiotics, and heavy metals. Some of the
cheap honey is watered down with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Much of the
questionable honey originates in China."

The best way to obtain raw
honey is to find a local supplier that you can trust. Buy your honey
directly from a beekeeper if possible, or from a farmer's market.

Health and nutritional benefits of raw, unfiltered honey

Honey
is considered to be "one of the most healing substances on earth." It's
been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments and
conditions, both internal and external. It has antiviral, anti-fungal
and antibacterial properties.

Among the myriad uses and benefits of honey:

Topical
applications: Use honey on wounds, sunburn, rashes, acne or for almost
any skin problem. Honey promotes fast healing and helps prevent
scarring.

Internal health:
Honey is useful in fighting sore throats, allergies, high cholesterol,
high blood pressure, indigestion and more. It also promotes a healthy
immune system.

Nutritional value: A true superfood, honey
contains numerous vitamins and minerals. It's also an antioxidant and a
great source of concentrated energy.

As with many natural remedies,
health-promoting honey has been replaced by a range of other products
and medicines that provide only questionable effectiveness.

And
honey itself has been stripped of its healthy benefits through filtering
and pasteurization. It's almost as if someone doesn't want us to have
access to natural remedies that boost health and prevent disease.

The pharmaceutical industry
doesn't make any profits from natural remedies, so perhaps it's no
surprise that raw, unfiltered honey has become a scarce commodity.

At
any rate, it is still possible to obtain the real thing and I recommend
that everyone should do so. Natural honey offers an impressive number
of valuable benefits – not only for survival in a SHTF scenario, but in
everyday life as well.

(NaturalNews) The concept of martial law is one that is often confusing.
The textbook definition is a rule of law imposed by the highest-ranking
military officer, either as a military governor or as the leader of the
nation, in place of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches.
But many people think that, for our country, martial law occurs when the
president, as commander-in-chief, declares him- or herself to be in
charge completely, a declaration that would come with the suspension of most, if not all, constitutional rights.

Martial
law has actually been implemented in the U.S. in the past. During the
Civil War, President Lincoln not only suspended habeas corpus, but also
appointed generals to head up military districts in some states – moves
that the U.S. Supreme Court eventually approved due to the national
emergency created by the conflict.

Would
Congress allow that? That depends; if some candidate who is well
outside the political establishment – like a Donald Trump – looks set to
win the election, it's very possible this Congress, which has given Obama everything he wants, would simply go along with whatever he wanted to do.

That
said, if martial law were to occur, it will become vital for Americans
to learn how to navigate a dramatically changed social situation. And,
as noted at Prepper Fortress, if that's our fate, the government –
using cyber means, covert operations and other measures – is already
putting the pieces in place to deal with the expected chaos.

Here are 10 ways to avoid becoming ensnared in the martial law net:

-- 1. Run early and often: At the first declaration of martial law, run, don't walk to the countryside, preferably a pre-determined "bugout" location
that you have already scoped out and stocked with supplies. Make sure
to bring a radio – solar- or crank-powered (or both) so you don't have
to worry about an electrical source – to monitor the situation and to
receive intelligence and updates about what's going on. From there you
can plan your next move.

-- 2. Hide and seek: The
government will likely be scouring the countryside for stragglers, so
the best thing you can do to avoid satellite surveillance, being spotted
by a drone or being rolled up on by a government agent or soldier is to
remain out-of-sight. Camouflage is your friend, but cannot hide your
heat signature; only earth can do that. Caves are great bugout
hideaways, and so are underground basements. Stay off hilltops so you
don't silhouette yourself and be prepared to low-crawl and move slowly
if there are people in the area. Avoid trails.

-- 3. Be difficult:
That is, be difficult to track or anticipate. If you're heading into a
wooded area, take the most difficult, but still passable, option, unless
you're actively being pursued. It'll take you longer to get where
you're going but you'll be increasing your odds that you won't be found.

-- 4. Cover your tracks:
Chances are you won't be followed by a trained tracker, but some signs
are not hard to spot, such as footprints in moist soil, broken branches
and flattened grass. If you make tracks try to cover them as best you
can. And police up your trash so you leave nothing behind.

-- 5. Fool them:
Take and leave false trails. Start on one side of the road, but then
double back down the road and cross over, heading to your predetermined
location.

-- 6. Essentials only: Just take only what you need to survive for at least 72 hours. That will lighten your load and make it easier to escape.

-- 7. Silence is golden:
Don't tell anyone you meet what your plans are, where you're going or
who you are. You won't know who you can trust (which means you shouldn't
trust anyone).

-- 8. Don't fear the dogs: Some government officials may use tracking dogs to round up people, but they won't be widespread.

-- 9. Go, then go some more:
Don't ever think you've put "enough" distance between yourself and the
authorities. If you need to spend extra days bugging out, then do so.
And don't ever relax.

-- 10. Teach your kids: They will
have trouble understanding what is going on if you don't tell your kids
beforehand that someday you all may need to leave your home and seek
refuge. Also, teach them the survival skills that you will be learning.

This is Incredible! The Self Watering Grow Bag Grow System!

Grow bags are made of breathable fabric which means superior drainage
and aeration. It is the aeration that makes them superior to other
garden containers. If a container has no aeration and the roots reach
the walls of the container, they give a signal to the plant to make more
roots, resulting in a root bound plant. Eventually the plant just kills
itself with a mass of roots going round and round in the container.

Soil for grow bags

Soil is the heart of any container gardening. It is a great mixture
for any gardening, also container gardening. The mix is 1/3 moss, 1/3
compost mixture (for example chicken manure, horse manure, and mushroom
composts), and 1/3 vermiculite. This mix preserves moisture which
is very important for grow bag gardening.

Watering grow bags

Watering is always a challenge in container gardening. To much makes
the plants sit in water, too little makes them dry out. It also depends
on what the container is made of. Grow bags do dry out much faster than
pots. The drainage and aeration of the grow bag leads to more frequent
watering needs. Also it is difficult to really soak a grow bag, the
water will come right out. Two things can be helpful.

Drip system

Install a drip system, so the grow bags get a constant moisture
supply. We tried the bottle drip system. It did not do so well for us,
even though many have great success with it. A pipe drip system would
work well, too.

Self watering system

Have a container underneath the grow bag that you can fill with water
so it can be wicked up. Any container would work, we got the idea from
the Kiddie poolgrow system. But if the container is too deep, you will need an overflow. You want most of the roots to be in air.

Here a build box out of styrofoam, it is not very deep, so an
overflow is not needed. It looks like a raised bed. In this we planted
cucumbers. Cucumber like water a lot.(source)

Essential Skills: Learning What Not to Do…

One has to be living under a rock to not have heard about the tragic
events that have unfolded in Oregon, vis a’ vis the Hammond Ranch court
case, the Bundy led occupation of a Wild Life Refuge ‘headquarters’
building, subsequent death of one of the leaders during a police stop,
and continued ‘hold out’ by four people, who are currently either under
arrest or about to be, depending on what the responding FBI, Oregon
State, and Malheur County teams on site determine as the way to end the
‘occupation’. The only hope concerned folks have is that the situation
ends without any more fatalities.
An astute person may learn some of the many things ‘not‘
to do by examining the actions of the people who chose to protest in a
way that has now cost them plenty with no return on that investment.
The internet and blogosphere is replete with actions taken and
subsequent critique. Our purpose here is not to ‘damn’ the people
involved, but to try to learn from their situation.
No matter what your feelings are on the situation, the situation is a
superb opportunity to see how various actions have worked for or
against a small group of people when applied to the NPT operating scenario.
Here’s a list of just a few things you may want to consider for your NPT planning and training from a ‘lessons learned’ perspective
from the Oregon situation against the day that SHTF when you’re
suddenly faced with defending your NPA from lawless entities trying to
take it from you.

Failing to plan is planning to fail: Old axiom,
but true nevertheless. Acting out of emotion with no ‘cold eye’
approach to contemplated actions or activity only plays into the hands
of your opposing force. End State Objective, Strategy, Planning,
Execution, and Post Execution Actions all need to be logically dealt
with and have all associated questions addressed. If it doesn’t occur,
prepare to have whatever was not addressed jump up and bite you in your
ass.

Perception is reality: If you allow yourself and
your NPT to be perceived as ‘arm chair warriors’ who are known to repeat
various meme’s while dressed as imitation soldiers (especially in
situations where field gear isn’t necessary, like, say, when helping dig
out your NPA after a serious storm) when a concealed pistol (with
license) is appropriate for the defense of self and others, chances are
than you won’t be well received and will be avoided by the people you’re
trying to help.

Organization is imperative: In any group from the
local chapter of the Boy Scouts to our best ‘elite’ units in the US
military and Tier 1 corporations, organizational structure is crucial.
Committees will fail. Whomever draws the short straw and is designated
as the ‘leader’ has an awfully difficult task ahead of them, and at many
times, it’s ‘lonely at the top time,’ because the leader has to make
hard decisions and then get the group to do what has been decided.
Leaders aren’t necessarily indispensable, either. If your NPT leader
goes ‘rogue’ or ‘high and right’, you can certainly, for cause, replace
that leader with someone else. Be judicious in how that occurs; ’cause’
is not defined as, ‘crass presentation or not liking the decisions’,
rather, ’cause’ is something that can be quantified as being dangerous
to the group or using his/her position for their own personal benefit.

Followers must follow with 100% dedication: Not
everyone can be ‘the man/woman.’ Some have to be subordinate leaders
(if your NPT is large enough) and some have to be the workers. If you
have people on board your NPT who aren’t happy with where they are, and
they’re performing where they need to be at, skill level wise, so long
as they don’t cause problems, they should stick around. If he, she, or
they start causing issues by demonstrating dissension without cause,
they need to be dealt with by either censure or expulsion.

Training is the cornerstone upon which actions will succeed or fail:
Whether it’s moving to a water source for resupply, communications
checks, applying first aid, keeping a log of NPT actions during a SHTF
situation, determining child care for NPT members in a training session,
or gathering for a planned meeting, training (read that as being taught
the most effective way to do a thing and then practicing it until it
becomes muscle memory) trumps all else. Training also may (and should)
include constant study of topics relevant to the NPT vision/mission
statement. NPT leaders and members must become ‘professional students’
and constantly strive to increase their knowledge of all things NPT
related, which, by the way, could include things such as food
preservation, local community emergency response participation,
neighborhood outreach programs, etc).

The Parmesan Cheese You Sprinkle on Your Penne Could Be Wood

The cheese police are on the case.
Acting on a tip, agents of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration paid a surprise visit to a cheese factory in rural Pennsylvania on a cold November day in 2012.
They found what they were looking for: evidence
that Castle Cheese Inc. was doctoring its 100 percent real parmesan
with cut-rate substitutes and such fillers as wood pulp and distributing
it to some of the country’s biggest grocery chains.
One might be tempted to think of this as a ripped-from-the-headlines episode of “NYPD Bleu,”
except that the FDA wasn’t playing. Some grated Parmesan suppliers have
been mislabeling products by filling them with too much cellulose, a
common anti-clumping agent made from wood pulp, or using cheaper
cheddar, instead of real Romano. Someone had to pay. Castle President
Michelle Myrter is scheduled to plead guilty this month to criminal
charges. She faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
German brewers protect their reputations with Reinheitsgebot,
a series of purity laws first drawn up 500 years ago, and Champagne
makers prohibit most vineyards outside their turf from using the name.
Now the full force of the U.S. government has been brought to bear
defending the authenticity of grated hard Italian cheeses. Which is good
news for Neal Schuman.
For years, Schuman has been a one-man
Reinheitsgebot, insisting that the fragrant granules Americans sprinkle
on their pizza and penne ought to be the real thing; if not, the label
should say so.
The stakes are 100 percent real for him. Schuman’s Fairfield, New Jersey-based company, Arthur Schuman Inc.,
is the biggest seller of hard Italian cheeses in the U.S., with 33
percent of the domestic market. He estimates that 20 percent of U.S.
production — worth $375 million in sales — is mislabeled.
“The
tipping point was grated cheese, where less than 40 percent of the
product was actually a cheese product,” Schuman said. “Consumers are
innocent, and they’re not getting what they bargained for. And that’s
just wrong.”
How serious is the problem? Bloomberg News had
store-bought grated cheese tested for wood-pulp content by an
independent laboratory.
Cellulose is a safe additive, and an
acceptable level is 2 percent to 4 percent, according to Dean Sommer, a
cheese technologist at the Center for Dairy Research in Madison,
Wisconsin. Essential Everyday 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, from
Jewel-Osco, was 8.8 percent cellulose, while Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s
Great Value 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese registered 7.8 percent,
according to test results. Whole Foods 365 brand didn’t list cellulose
as an ingredient on the label, but still tested at 0.3 percent. Kraft
had 3.8 percent.
“We remain committed to the quality of our
products,” Michael Mullen, a Kraft Heinz Co. spokesman, said in an
e-mail. John Forrest Ales, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said he questioned the
reliability of testing a single sample and that Wal-Mart’s “compliance
team is looking into these findings.”
Jewel-Osco is also
investigating, spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco said in an e-mail. “We
pride ourselves on the quality of products we deliver for our
customers,” Trucco said.
“We strongly believe that there is no
cellulose present,” Blaire Kniffin, a Whole Foods Market Inc.
spokeswoman, said in an e-mail, adding that it could have been a false
positive. “But we are investigating this matter.”
According to the
FDA’s report on Castle, obtained through the Freedom of Information
Act, “no parmesan cheese was used to manufacture” the Market Pantry
brand 100% grated Parmesan Cheese, sold at Target Corp. stores, and
Always Save Grated Parmesan Cheese and Best Choice 100% Grated Parmesan
Cheese, sold by Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., which along with its
subsidiaries supplies 3,400 retail stores in 30 states. Instead, there
was a mixture of Swiss, mozzarella, white cheddar and cellulose,
according to the FDA.
Castle has never been an authorized Target
vendor, according to Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder. “We are
investigating the information provided in the report,” she said in an
e-mail. Jeff Pedersen, an executive vice president of Associated
Wholesale Grocers, had no comment.
DairiConcepts, a Springfield,
Missouri-based cheese maker that’s a subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of
America, said on its website that in a test of 28 brands, only one-third
of label claims about protein levels in grated parmesan were accurate.
The company blamed fillers such as cellulose.
Until recently,
there was little incentive to follow labeling rules. Criminal cases are
rare. That’s because the FDA, which enforces the country’s food laws,
prioritizes health hazards, said John Spink, director of the Food Fraud
Initiative at Michigan State University. But civil lawsuits abound. A
Jan. 29 complaint accuses McDonald’s Corp. of selling pure mozzarella
sticks that contain starch, considered a filler, a claim the company
denies.

Cheese makers commit adulteration because it saves money.
Marty
Wilson, chief executive officer of New York-based Sugar Foods, which
buys cheese from Schuman and supplies major pizza chains with to-go
packets of parmesan, said whenever his contracts come up for renewal,
competitors peddling ersatz cheeses surface. And he has lost business to
them. “We’re constantly battling cheap imitators across all of our
product lines,” Wilson said.
Bob Greco of Cheese Merchants of
America said competitors hawking bastardized products have underbid him
by as much as 30 percent. “The bad guys win and the rule-followers
lose,” Greco said.
The FDA regulates what can legally be called
Parmesan or Romano according to standards established in the 1950s to
ensure that manufacturers wouldn’t sell cheeses wildly different in
composition.
Americans love their hard Italian cheeses. Last year,
U.S. Parmesan output rose 11 percent from 2014 to around 336 million
pounds, while Romano production grew 20 percent, to 54 million pounds,
according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Italian
producers, however, aren’t loving it as much. The Parmigiano Reggiano
Consortium, a trade group based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, asked
the European Union in December to protect its manufacturers against
U.S. companies that were using the names of their cheeses and Italian
flags on their packaging. “A deceit” is how the organization’s
president, Giuseppe Alai, characterized Americans’ use of Italian names
and symbols.
Of all the popular cheeses in the U.S., the hard
Italian varieties are the most likely to have fillers because of their
expense. Parmesan wheels sit in curing rooms for months, losing
moisture, which results in a smaller yield than other cheeses offer.
While 100 pounds of milk might produce 10 pounds of cheddar, it makes
only eight pounds of Parmesan. That two-pound difference means millions
of dollars to manufacturers, according to Sommer.
Slippery Rock,
Pennsylvania-based Castle produced mainly imitation cheeses for nearly
30 years. The company, whose factory was adorned with crenelated
battlements and curved archways to look like a medieval castle, had $19
million in sales in 2013.
The trouble started in 2010 when it
began making what it called 100 percent grated Parmesan. A plant manager
designed flawed recipes, and after Castle fired him in 2012, he alerted
the FDA, the company said in a December 2012 letter to the agency,
obtained through the FOIA.
The FDA accused Castle Cheese of
marketing as real grated Parmesan what was in fact a mixture of
imitation cheese and trimmings of Swiss, white cheddar, Havarti and
mozzarella. After the probe, Castle stopped production of the
problematic cheeses and dumped inventories. The company filed for
bankruptcy in 2014.
A lawyer for Michelle Myrter and Castle Cheese
didn’t respond to requests for comment. In the 2012 letter to the FDA,
Castle said there was inadequate documentation, and the FDA could note
only the potential that the products weren’t 100 percent pure.
Lauren
E. Sucher, an FDA spokeswoman, said the agency couldn’t comment on
pending legal cases. “The FDA takes economic fraud very seriously,” she
said in an e-mail.
The FDA’s investigation may be the spark that
changes things, said John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin
Cheese Makers Association.
“The industry wants to be known for a
wholesome, safe, honest product — it’s what’s kept the industry growing
for 100 years,” he said. “The wholesomeness of dairy products is a
treasured part of our story.”

Medicinal clay used by Native Americans shown to be more effective than overused antibiotics

(NaturalNews) For thousands of years, indigenous people throughout the world have used clay for and dirt for their powerful health benefits.
Even animals are drawn to clay, especially in the form of mud. Whenever
they are wounded, animals instinctively lick the mud and roll in it to
obtain relief. They also tend to ingest it if they have recently
ingested a toxic substance.In our times, bentonite clay has made a name for itself as a perfect detoxifying agent with a handful of impressive health benefits. Even more recently, a type of naturally-occurring clay
found in Kisameet Bay, British Columbia, and used by the Heiltsuk
Nation has demonstrated antibacterial activity more potent than that of
modern-day antibiotics.

The Heiltsuk Nation have used it for thousands of years

Today, the Heiltsuk Nation
can be found in the communities of Bella Bella and Klemtu, on the
Central Coast of modern-day British Columbia. The indigenous inhabitants
that form the Heiltsuk or Bella Bella culture are descendants of a few
tribal groups that settled in the area during the 19th century, while
their older ancestors called British Columbia their home as early as
7190 BC.

With a notorious reputation for their artistic and
fighting skills, as well as for their spiritual depth and the complexity
of their rituals, the Heiltsuk discovered the grey-green clay
known as kisolite thousands of years ago. Ever since, they've used it
to cure ulcerative colitis, arthritis, neuritis, phlebitis, skin
irritations and burns. Although the European occupation of the Americas
brought new diseases to the indigenous tribes and drastically reduced
their numbers, the Bella Bella's knowledge of natural medicine has survived the ages and found a place in modern times.

Their clay is more powerful than antibiotics

When researchers from the University of British Columbia discovered the potential antibacterial uses of Kisolite, alternative medicine
demonstrated its potency once again. The in vitro tests conducted by
UBC microbiologist Julian Davies and Shekooh Behroozian indicated that,
when suspended in water, the naturally occurring clay can kill 16
strains of "ESKAPE" bacteria, which "cause the majority of US hospital
infections and effectively "escape" the effects of antibacterial drugs,"
according to a research paper published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

In other words, this ancient clay could be a natural cure
for some bacteria that escape the effect of antibiotics and are
therefore potentially deadly. At this time, infections caused by ESKAPE
strains of bacteria cannot be cured by modern medicine
and significantly contribute to the rate of mortality in hospitals.
Researchers hope to study the newly identified type of clay and turn it
into an effective weapon against multi-drug-resistant pathogens.

It's about time, too!

Ever
since 1928 and the discovery of penicillin, antibiotics have helped
billions of people fight infections and therefore live longer,
apparently healthier lives. However, as soon as we began to cure disease
using antibiotics, we became too reliant on their help. The more we used them, the more resistant bacteria became. Now, treating an infection can be a serious challenge.

What's
worse, we did not use antibiotics only in the treatment of human
infections. Instead, we started feeding them to animals that were bred
in improper conditions in order to avoid disease and increase profits.
This led to the emergence of a series of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,
which can be transmitted to any human eating infected meat. According
to the Environmental Working Group, most of the ground beef and ground
turkey sold across the United States contains this type of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

What happens next is that when we
get sick, we can no longer be treated with antibiotics. This is why it
is so important to avoid the use of antibiotics and develop natural cures
to our illnesses. Given our situation, the clay recently discovered in
Kisameet Bay is a support-worthy effort in the right direction.

People from all ages can experience circulation problems, and although
poor circulation affects the entire blood flow, it usually first
manifests in the extremities.

In most cases, poor circulation comes as a result of weakened blood
vessels and too much sitting. It may not signify that you are having
some serious health issues, but it definitely is a warning sign that you
must change something in your lifestyle.

First, you need to increase your physical activity, but if you
do not have enough time and energy to exercise regularly, the following
pieces of advice will be of extremely benefit:

Garlic

Garlic is an amazing vegetable with an endless list of health benefits.
It improves blood circulation, reduces blood pressure and prevents blood
platelet accumulation. A study study published in The Journal of Nutrition
in 2006 found that garlic is extremely beneficial for cardiovascular
health. Moreover, it prevents the formation of plaque buildup in the
arteries thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

Water

Adequate water intake is essential for proper body function. It hydrates
your entire body, stimulates digestion, and improves nutrient supply to
the cells. Water also alleviates elimination. If you've been working
out, you may need to increase your regular water intake. According to
nutritionists, an adult should drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water a
day.

Ginger

Ginger is a common kitchen ingredient which is highly beneficial for
stimulating blood circulation. The regular consumption of ginger
prevents the formation of blood clots in the body, thus reducing the
risk of cardiovascular diseases. This remarkable root contains gingerols
and zingerone, which have a warming effect on the body, and
consequently improves blood circulation.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper contains an active ingredient called capsaicin, which
stimulates blood flow throughout your body and organs. Capsaicin also
strengthens the walls of your arteries and capillaries. In addition, it
alleviates symptoms linked to poor blood circulation, such as pain,
headaches, cold feet and tingling sensations in the legs.

Essential ginger, cinnamon and rosemary oil

Essential oils expand the capillaries and in that way they alleviate
blood flow to the surface of the skin. The oil has a thermogenic effect
on your body. However, note that you should read the instructions on the
bottle before you start using the oils for massage.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is extremely efficient in improving blood flow through
capillaries, especially in the brain, which makes it an amazing brain
enhancer. It is in fact a counter you can buy in the form of capsules or
pills.

Fish oil

Fish oil is another healthy and natural way to solve your circulation
problems. It can be of great help as it removes fat deposits off the
arterial walls, which leads to proper blood circulation. Furthermore,
fish oil raises HDL or good cholesterol in the body. You can consume it
by eating fish once a week, or you can take dietary supplements.

Horse chestnut

Horse chestnut is a popular herb due to its numerous health benefits.
However, it is particularly effective in the case of poor blood
circulation. Namely, the active ingredients it contains, aescin or
escin, reduce inflammation and strengthen the capillary walls.

6 Old Time Forgotten Survival Skills Your Great Grandparents Used Everyday

Water
purification is important whether you’re planning a family camping trip
or your municipal water supply to your house has been tainted.
Understanding how to properly and safely purify drinking water is an
essential life skill. Tainted drinking water can carry bacteria and
microorganisms that can make you suffer terribly. Some of these
contaminants cause diarrhea and vomiting, which will only serve to
dehydrate you. Here are some tips to keep in mind when purifying water.

Boiling Water for DrinkingIt’s
important to note that boiling water does not purify it, it sterilizes
it. If there is silt, sand or other particulates in the water, they will
remain after boiling. However, sterilizing the water will kill
microorganisms and bacteria, making the water safe if not tasty and
clear. For elevations under 2000 meters, bring the water to a high,
rolling boil for one full minute. At higher elevations, three minutes is
recommended. The method of boiling, whether via home stove or campfire,
has no effect on boiling time.

Household Bleach as a SterilizerFrom
the time we’re babies, we are conditioned to think that household
bleach is deadly poison that should never pass our lips. As a general
rule, this is true. Drinking undiluted bleach can be deadly or, at the
very least, leave you with nasty chemical burns. However, household
bleach can be used to make tainted water safe for drinking. The
difference lies in the quantity used. Just eight drops of unscented
household bleach in a gallon of water is all you need. Shake it up, wait
ten minutes and you can drink it without concern. Never use bleaches
scented for laundry use, such as lemon scent or lavender, as this can
make you quite sick. Store a small bottle of unscented household bleach
with your emergency supplies so you can make drinking water and cook emergency food with confidence.

Store-Bought Purification FiltersIf
you are planning to go camping or hiking, a store-bought purification
filter is an excellent choice. They are available in small and large
varieties for different purposes. Some are tiny enough to be snapped
onto a water bottle while others are large enough to purify gallons upon
gallons of water for a large campfire meal for the whole family.
Filters do what boiling and bleach can’t; they remove particulates as
well as bacteria and microorganisms.
You will need to be comfortable with using the filter, back-flushing it
and changing out the filter components before leaving for your trip.
Once you have the skill to use it, a water purification filter is quick
and easy. Make sure you carry a backup method of purifying water, in
case your filter breaks or is lost. You don’t want to rely on just one
method for a long trip.

Avoiding Re-contamination

One
of the worst mistakes people make when purifying water is
re-contamination. As you’re processing your water, keep in mind what
containers are contaminated and which are not. For example, don’t
collect water from a stream with a bottle, boil the water and then pour
it back into the dirty bottle. Don’t dump purified water into a
contaminated vessel, it will completely negate all your work. Before you
pour purified water, ask yourself if the receiving vessel is clean.
This will soon become second nature to you, but it’s an important habit
to form.Learning
to purify drinking water is a skill you may be called on to use at some
point in your life, and you don’t want to be caught unprepared. By
keeping these tips in mind, you will be able to sterilize or purify
drinking water for yourself and your family in an emergency or out in
the wilderness.

Hardcore Survival: What To Wear in the Harshest Conditions

This article is going to give you some pointers on dressing for the
winter weather to maximize your heat, minimize your moisture, and to
enable you to be ready if the SHTF. The article’s title holds the word
“tactical,” and in this New Year I feel it is important to make this
emphasis to you:

Every situation is either tactical or has the potential to become tactical in the blink of an eye.

Needs and Capabilities

Your needs and capabilities in this regard are going to vary in
accordance with where you live (geographical/climate locale), and what
you do during the course of the day. Some may have an easier time with
this, as they may be employed where they can wear what they want…few and
far in-between as this may seem. Others must wear a uniform or a suit
and tie/business apparel. No matter. The first group (to paraphrase
the band “Nirvana”) can “come as you are…as I want you to be.” The
second group will have to rely on the telephone booth akin to Clark Kent
as he did when he “changed” into Superman.

Footwear

Footwear
is as varied as the imagination. I prefer military footwear and wear
it all the time. I have a pair of desert winter boots with Vibram soles
that I switch up with a pair of Rocky Gore-Tex issue boots. The
majority of the time these days, I have a good pair of rubberized boots
with leather instep, Kamin waterproofs, a necessity here in Montana
where it snows about every day. With socks, I like a thin pair of
cotton, covered over with a thick pair of wool. The cotton absorbs the
moisture from your foot, and the wool wicks it away.

Essential Layers

I layer with long johns, a decent synthetic type by Russell,
and over these I wear nylon jogging-type/sports pants with a thin
cotton underlining. They lock in the heat and they do breathe. Over
this are the pants, and as I mentioned in previous articles, only cargo pants
will do for me, my preference being Riggs by Wrangler. This triple
layer keeps layers of air circulating between them and also insulates me
thoroughly from the cold. Here it has been about 20 degrees F during
the day, and 0 – 7 degrees F at night.
Topside I wear a cotton t-shirt with a synthetic/polypro long sleeve
undershirt. If you can find shirts with wicking ability, it can help
your body maintain your core body temperature. Over this I have a
sweatshirt with hood, and I wear an Army issue uniform top: they’re
durable, and I like the newer generation tops because of the amount of
pockets. Over this I throw a nice Marmot Gore-Tex jacket, and then it’s
just my gloves and a hat. Remember, folks: wearing a hat will keep warm
heat from escaping on your head. This is very important! When I’m all
suited up, JJ’s ready to go!

The Doctrine of Contrasting Colors

You all know about the importance of layering, and now let’s cover a few things from a tactical perspective: the doctrine of contrasting colors.
What if “big daddy government” morphs into that totalitarian state
we can all foresee and dread? You are on the run. Here’s the
principle: they’re looking for a guy with a red jacket, and he
disappears into a public restroom. As people come out, there is nobody
with a red jacket, but you went right by them…because you stripped off
your top layer, discarded it (hopefully you can recover it!), and
emerged in a gray sweat top. The key here is to be able to alter your
appearance and “change up” on the target they are looking for…and
expecting. The mind and eyes tend to focus on a target and keep it in
mind. This is our honing instinct, and it is as old as mankind.
If you’re wearing tan khaki cargoes and a red jacket (does that
classify you as a SF ’49er fan?), how much better if you emerge wearing
black nylon sweats and a gray sweatshirt? The colors must contrast; that is, bear a marked difference to one another in the combination you’re wearing them both before you’re followed and after you give them the slip.
Now I’m sure a lot are going to comment that it “doesn’t matter with
infrared,” and “you can’t avoid the cameras.” No, actually, it does
matter. The goons that are on the ground do not have all of that
equipment in their hands and right in front of them. Not yet. There’s a
disconnect between what Stanley the Tech-guy is reporting to him in his
ear and what he sees on the ground.
In addition, you want to wear hats and gloves, maybe a good scarf or a
balaclava to keep warm and also to break up your outline that gives a
signature. I want to put in a word about the Gore-Tex. It is the best
thing since sliced bread in my opinion. I wear the civilian Gore-Tex jacket
so as not to be so obsequious, although here in Montana camouflage is a
year-round sight and in some areas can be easily confused with evening
formal wear.
The important tactical consideration here with the Gore-Tex is that
you want to stay warm and dry, and a fire may be “inconvenient” for you
until the initial fervor of the disaster passes. A good acid test is to
dress in the manner I outlined and then lay in the snow for about 15
minutes with no ground pad or insulation between you and the snow. If
you can say you’re still warm even after 15 minutes, then you may have
found a winning combination for yourself. Layers also help enable your
skin to breathe and to reduce heat that could potentially be trapped and
elevate your temperature too high.
The cargo pants and Army top help you with the pockets to store
things that are essential to you…small tools, fire starting equipment,
and the like. You want your ensemble to be as rugged and durable as it
can be. When it hits the fan, you don’t know when you’re going to have a
change of clothing. You’ll start it out “as is,” so to speak: what
you’re carrying and wearing is what you’ll have, at least initially.
Remember: when you have to hide, a lot of times you’ll be hunkered down
or in the prone. You have to keep warm, dry, and insulated, especially
if you must lay on the ground.
So whatever your environment, dress accordingly for that environment. Remember this doctrine of contrasting colors, and choose your garments for their utilitarian functions rather than for style or appearance.
Take the time to consider any physical limitations and plan your
wardrobe accordingly. Always take the time to assess the situations in
the news and what is happening around you, and be ready to do the Clark
Kent to Superman change as soon as the balloon goes up and you have
determined it’s genuine. Have a great day, Guys and Gals, be prepared,
and stay warmly-dressed, and “frosty” in your mind! God bless!

This One Fruit Kills Malignant Cells of 12 Different Types of Cancer

What
would you do if you found out that the extract from a single fruit
could keep the rogue cells of 12 different types of cancer in check?

Mainstream media reports that the
fruit known as graviola, also known as soursop fruit, guanabana, or
guyabano, is not a noteworthy cancer-fighter, but there are studies
showing it effectively fights ovarian, colon, breast, prostate, lung,
liver, cervical, lymphoma, and pancreatic cancers.

For
pancreatic cancer, graviola was shown to be effective at “inhibiting
tumorigenicity,” as well as “altering pancreatic tumor cell
metabolism,” found one pathologist at the University of Nebraska.

Laboratory research also showed it to be 10,000 times stronger in
killing colon cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used
chemotherapy drug. And Graviola, unlike chemotherapy, can kill cancer
cells without harming healthy cells.

“These data
showed that dietary GFE induced significant growth inhibition of
MDA-MB-468 cells in vitro and in vivo through a mechanism involving the
EGFR/ERK signaling pathway, suggesting that GFE may have a protective
effect for women against EGFR-overexpressing BC.”

And there
are indeed more studies. Graviola contains potent anticancerous agents
called acetogenins which play a key role towards many varieties of
cancer. Acetogenins are potent inhibitors of NADH oxidase of the plasma membranes of cancer cells.

Graviola also contains phytochemicals such
as Anonaine, Friedelin, Isolaureline, Annonamine, Anomurine,
Kaempferol, Asimilobine, Quercetin, and Xylopine well as compounds such
as Annonamine, and Kaempferol.

The Spice That Prevents Fluoride From Destroying Your Brain

GMOs used as gene-altering superweapons could make humanity extinct

(NaturalNews) The future of weaponry won't necessarily involve higher
capacity firearms, more advanced bombs or better fighter jets. It will
encompass an entirely new realm of genetically-modified (GM) bioweapons
that threaten to destroy the human brain and cause irreversible
genetic-level damage to the planet.This is the prediction of
Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, which recently issued a
warning about the threat of geophysical and genetic weapons that it says
will have the capacity to intercept virtually all levels of life,
from microscopic atoms to large-scale systems. A combination of energy,
electromagnetic, radiological, geophysical and even genetic weapons
will have the capacity to literally change the way people think, which is a much more powerful weapon than simply trying to kill them.At
the geophysical level, such weapons will have the ability to alter
weather patterns, which we are already seeing in the form of
geoengineering and "chemtrails."
Geophysical weapons will also have the ability to both create and
redirect major weather events like hurricanes and earthquakes, which
many have long speculated about considering the government's
controversial "HAARP" program (High Frequency Active Auroral Research
Program).According to reports, these weapons of the future will
disrupt not only economic activities like human movement and commerce,
but also human bodily function. Assuming everything goes as planned, future weapons
systems will have the capacity to literally alter human DNA, invoking
genetic mutations that ultimately lead to chronic disease and death."According
to the Emergency Situations Ministry, this [future weapons systems]
will allow an attacker to interrupt a victim's entire control of the
economy and administrative functions, as well as cause irreversible
long-term destruction of territories and populations living in these
territories," reports Sputnik News.

After shunning GMO foods, Russia shifts focus to GMO weapons

Russia, in particular, is concerned about its more than 4,500
"critically important" objects, many of which are located in major
population centers. It sees future GMO weaponry as a threat to its
long-term viability, and is in the process of developing combative
technologies to protect itself against a possible attack.

The
eastern bloc country has already taken steps to thwart genetic attacks
via crop GMOs, which were recently banned in Russia due to safety
concerns. Unlike the U.S., Russia has a problem with untested, patented food crops being introduced into its food supply without substantive evidence showing their safety or necessity.

"The
question is complicated, but the decisions was made: We are not going
to produce any food products using genetically modified organisms,"
stated Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich in a press
conference last fall.

With GMO foods now banned, Russia has decided to set its sights on GMO weapons,
which it worries may be easier for terrorists to obtain than nuclear
weapons. It's only a matter of time, say some, before militant groups
like al-Qaeda gain access to GMO weapons, which it will likely use
against political targets that it deems a threat to its perpetuity.

"This
is everybody's big fear," says Professor Paul Cornish, director of the
research group Defense, Security and Infrastructure at the RAND
think-tank. "[W]hen does al-Qaeda get to have the money and labs?"

What the West sees as "progress," Russia
sees as a major threat to humanity. And this same sentiment is shared
by many freedom-minded thinkers, who see genetic terrorism as a
digression rather than progression.

"The technology of tomorrow,
designed to carry out that behavior which is fitting of primal animals,
not an 'evolved being,' is just another nail in the coffin of human
civilization," wrote one Sputnik News commenter.

Raising the Root Cellar: Crops for Winter Storage

On January first, the seed catalogs come out of hiding. They have
been flowing in for several weeks, but I like to keep them back until
the holidays are almost over, giving me something to look forward to in
early January, when the world is still dark and muddy. The back garden
is the low spot for the entire block. It is often flooded during heavy
winter rains and not always accessible in January, so it is a good time
to start planning for next year’s garden.
My garden consists of nine raised beds, four-by-ten feet, which hold
annual crops. There are also three raised beds for permanent plantings:
blueberries, asparagus, and herbs. We supplement the space using large
black nursery pots, which move into the front driveway for tomato plants
in the spring, and wine barrels, which hold currants, a bay tree, and
an apple.
We just added a greenhouse, which has one three by eight foot bed and
space for various tubs and planters. And we are about to build a bed on
the south side of the house, which will replace the three barrels there
at the moment, giving us a little more planting space and the chance
for roots to touch earth. When it is all planted, I am able to harvest
our dinner vegetables from the back yard from June until October and
supplement for another month on either side. With careful planning,
there is also some space for storage crops.
I expect to raise all of the potatoes we will eat for the year —
about 95 pounds, minus what I put aside for next year’s seed. I raise
five varieties — 'Yukon Gold', 'All Blue', 'Desiree', and 'Kennebec',
plus a fingerling — so they take up two and a half beds from early March
until mid-August. Last year, I cleared one bed early and replanted to
fall greens, which I plan to do again. It is comforting to know that
there are potatoes in the bins in the basement under the stairs.
This year, I want to grow more winter squash. I need twelve fruits to
make it through the winter as we eat one every other week. This will
mean planting some 'Delicata' seed for early eating along with the 'Baby
Blue Hubbards' and 'Sweet Meats' that last until late March in the
larder. They like warm sun, so I will try planting them in the new bed
along the south wall of the house, running them up the wall with the
beans and tomatoes to provide afternoon shade inside. If I start them in
the greenhouse in late April, they should have enough warm weather to
produce a good crop.
I also want to grow some solid cabbages for January consumption. So
far, my cabbages have been heading up in July and August, right when the
aphids and hot weather hit. We eat a lot of cole slaw — but I would
rather be eating it now, in January, when there is little else fresh in
the world, than in July, when everything is brimming over. Timing and
varieties are key.
Territorial Seed is offering a 'January King' that is both
winter-hardy and tasty (160-220 days) as well as 'Mandy', which promises
tight, large heads that stand high (105 days). I am tempted to try
both, started in April and planted in a empty potato bed in late July.
Finally, I want to turn one garden bed — the one nearest the
greenhouse — into a Three Sisters Garden. The corn stalks will shade the
shower from the backyard and I can run the vines up the wall and fence.
'Indian Woman' beans have a climbing habit, even if they are “bush”
beans; 'Winter Luxury' pumpkins will be thrilled to be off of the
ground. I am considering popcorn, rather than sweet corn, both for
cornmeal and decoration. Right now, I am eyeing 'Painted Gem' and
'Painted Mountain' — the 'Painted Mountain' ripens faster.
With all of this new planning, what will have to go to make space?
Probably a few kale and collard plants, those early cabbages, and the
radishes that go to seed every year. Or, maybe, we will just grow up and over. I have been thinking about some arches over the pathways for several years — it may be time to build them.

The 5 Seeds That You Need to Stockpile in Your Pantry

The world is already struggling with food supply and managing crops. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) has predicted a general warming of the world climate over the
next several decades. Growing our own food gives us control over our
lives and independence.
The best seeds for you to store are those that are most suitable for
the particular environment you find yourself in. And of course
environments vary widely across the USA, from wet and warm, to cold and
very dry. You should do some research for your particular area and work
out what fits with your local weather systems. One of the best ways to
do this is to observe what grows best around you and use that.
This article will give you some general advice on the types of seeds
that you should think about storing, these are generalist plants but
will develop a baseline for you to work from.
Seeds need to come from a good originating stock. One of the modern
day issues we have to deal with is to find seeds that do not come from
genetically modified (GMO) crops. Monsanto, GMO advocates, have
deliberately bought up a large proportion of the world’s seed
companies. In addition, Monsanto are working with several other
companies to build the ‘doomsday seed bank’ known as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
with the express task of retaining ‘crop diversity’ assuming world
events will conspire to impact the production of crops. With this in
mind you need to find the right seeds to build your own doomsday seed
bank.Heirloom seeds come from original cultivar plants
and often have disease resistance from hybridization with other plant
species. They are hardy and don’t contain modified genes – however a
warning. Monsanto are also buying up many heirloom seed companies, so
you need to either create your own, or find Monsanto free heirloom seed
companies. Seeds Now
is a company that can supply heirloom seeds and does not trade with
companies that support GMO. There are several others, check out their
‘about us’ section that usually details if they are GMO free.

Squash Seeds

Depending on your climate, squash is a really easy one to grow and it
provides good grub. Squash has lots of carbohydrates and a great
nutrient list, including Vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium and
potassium. They can be used to cook both savory and sweet dishes too.
I live in a temperate, occasionally cold, but always wet, climate and
can grow zucchini very easily from seed. In fact, I can grow so much of
the stuff I can’t even give it away. Other warmer climates will have
good luck with other squash varieties such as Pumpkin. Pumpkin and
butternut squash both love the sun, but they also are thirsty plants and
need decent amounts of water.
If you are using your own seeds direct from a pumpkin, you’ll need to
dry them out. Follow these instructions to get storable seeds:

Open the pumpkin (or other squash) and pull out the seed mass along with some pulp.

Put the mass into a colander or sieve and run water over, pulling the pulp away from the seeds.

Continue to run cold water over the seeds until you have pulp free seeds.

Place the seeds onto an absorbent paper or cloth towel – spread them out so they aren’t touching.

Dry them out in a cool dry place for about 1 week.

The biggest seeds are the ones most likely to germinate.

Store them in a cool, dark place, ideally keeping them in a paper envelope.

Green Beans

Green beans contain high levels of vitamin A and anti-oxidants so
they are very good for general health, including heart health. They also
have B12, B6 and vitamin C. Green beans are really easy to grow and
crop well. They do need to have cane support, as they grow tall (even
the dwarf varieties need some support).
If you want to store your own home grown green bean seeds you should follow these instructions:

Once you stop watering your green beans (around September) the pods
will continue to grow. The larger pods are the ones your after for
future seeds.

Once the leaves of the plant start to die off, remove the larger pods for seed production.

Gently open the pod down the edge.

Very carefully (without damaging the delicate skin) remove the seeds.

Place the seeds on a paper lined tray, spreading them out so they don’t touch.

Leave to dry in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks.

Store in a jar in a cool, dark place.

Spinach

Spinach is a very versatile and easy to eat food. You can eat it raw,
to bulk up salads, or cook with it. It is has loads of vitamin A and C,
as well as iron and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. It is
best grown in spring and fall (some types are annual rather than
biennial) and I’ve had lots of success with spinach, I can’t seem to
stop it growing. Spinach seeds are a little more difficult to get at and
keep than the previous two types of seeds we’ve mentioned. To obtain
the seed you need to let some of your spinach grow on to flower. It
won’t be edible at this point (it’ll taste quite bitter), so it really
is only good for seed collection. To collect and store spinach seeds,
follow these steps:
NOTE: Baby spinach is the best type of spinach for seed collection

Let your spinach continue to grow until it flowers.

You will get two types of plant, a male ad a female. They can be
differentiated by the colour of the little balls that grow under the
leaves. The female has only green balls, whereas the male has yellow
ones.

Usually the spinach wind pollinates between the male and female
plants, but to give nature a helping hand you can give the male plants a
‘flick’ to get them to release their pollen.

Once the plants start to turn yellow they are ready (the color shows
they have given up all of their nutrients into the seed stage).

Pull them up and discard the male plants.

Hang the female plants upside down in a cool, dry place.

Leave for about 2 weeks until the whole plant dries up. The seeds
will now be dry too and usually they can be simply shaken onto paper to
collect (they are very small).

Keep them in a jar in a cool, dry place – they usually only store till the next season.

Potato

Potatoes are a staple diet of many of the world’s peoples, especially
those in the west. The contain potassium, copper and B6 and are really
good to ‘fill you up’ at mealtime. They are also usually pretty easy to
grow, although some varieties are very disease prone. I have lost whole
crops to blight when growing during wet years; it’s very disheartening
when that happens. So to avoid it, choose your starter variety with good
disease resistance. You can find them in any good store. I have used a
variety called ‘Charlotte’ which I’ve never lost to blight yet, and they
taste delicious. Other disease resistant varieties include Caribe,
Purple Peruvian and Prince Hairy (very good against potato beetle).To produce potatoes direct from the seed:
You can grow potatoes from the seed. The seeds can be found in small,
round pods once the potatoes have started to die off. However, not all
potatoes grow these pods, especially potatoes that are created for the
mass market as their pollen is no longer fertile. But if you do find the
little green balls on your plant, you can try and use the seeds inside
to grow potatoes. However – warning. It takes at least two seasons to
grow edible tubers directly from the seed. The first year you end up
with ‘tuberlets’ which become your ‘seed potatoes’ which ultimately
become your first true crop.
To extract the seeds out of the balls:

Harvest the balls when feel soft and ripe.

It’s hard to get the tightly packed seeds out of the pod, so you can
cover the pods with water and smash them up using a rolling pin or
similar.

Leave this smash in the water overnight.

The seeds should start to pull away from the pod and sink to the bottom of the container.

The seeds are very small, like tomato seeds.

Rinse the seeds and place on an absorbent cloth or towel to dry out.

Store in a cool, dry place.

Using seed potatoes
Not to confuse the ‘potato seed’ with ‘seed potatoes’. If you have a
crop from the previous year, keep those potatoes that start to sprout as
these will become your seed potatoes.
To prepare seed potatoes for planting, I usually have a supply of
eggs boxes, or similar, that I use to ‘chit’ the potatoes out in. Egg
boxes are good because they naturally keep the potatoes apart from one
another. Place each seed potato, sprout end up into the box and leave in
a light place away from frosts for about 6 weeks until you have about 1
inch of sprout. They are then ready to plant out.Related: Preserving Potatoes Year Round – A Solid Choice for Preppers

Corn

If you live somewhere sunny, corn is a really good crop to grow. It
has iron, vitamin B6 and is a great source of carbohydrate. You can use
it to make all sorts of other foods, like corn bread. Corn is wind
pollinated, so you need two crops, a mile apart, is good, but then can
be closer and they’ll cross pollinate. If you want to harvest your own
corn seeds from your corn crop, follow these instructions:IMPORTANT: Corn can suffer from too much inbreeding.
You really need to minimize this happening by having a good supply of
plants to take seeds from, upwards of 100 plants is recommended to have a
large enough gene pool.
Corn HAS to be pollinated for the seed to form a
kernel and germinate into a new plant. Growing corn in blocks rather
than long rows helps pollination.

Leave the plants for up to 6 weeks after normal harvesting of the ears.

The ears should be allowed to mature and dry on the stalk (try to
avoid the ears getting wet in rain during this stage). When they are
dry, the kernels will feel hard and can’t be dented by a thumbnail.

A single dose of antibiotics can cause long-term gut damage

(NaturalNews) The statistics are sobering: in the United States alone, antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause 23,000 fatalities
and at least 2 million new cases of disease annually. But if you think
antibiotic resistance only comes about with massive and repeated rounds
of antibiotics, think again.

Science shows that just one dose of
antibiotic 'therapy' not only contributes to antibiotic resistance, but
also brings about long-term damage to the microbes living in the gut.
Many of the intestinal bacteria destroyed by antibiotics play a
significant role in the body's natural defense system against cancer and
other disease conditions.

Take control of your health,
naturally, with INSTANT access to over 300 programs focused on natural
solutions for disease from the best integrative healthcare providers,
oncologists and naturopaths in the world.

Just one dose: Science reveals the true danger of antibiotics inside the gut

European
researchers recently reported study results showing even a single
course of antibiotics is capable of disrupting the healthy population of
microorganisms in the gut. Just as disturbing, the results can last up
to a year and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

In their
study, 66 healthy adults from the United Kingdom and Sweden were
randomly assigned to receive a full course of one of four antibiotics
- ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, amoxicillin or minocycline - or a
placebo. The researchers did not know which antibiotic any given
participant took throughout the course of the study.

Fecal and
saliva samples were collected from the subjects at the start of the
study, then again immediately after beginning the study drugs.
Additional samples were taken at one, two, four and 12-month intervals
after finishing a single course of antibiotics.

Results showed the drugs caused a notable increase in genes associated with antibiotic
resistance, while seriously impacting the diversity of microbes in the
gut and causing changes still evident months after initial exposure.

All antibiotics are NOT created equal and the results can be devastating

Researchers
have reported differences among the various antibiotics utilized in the
study. Specifically, the health-related bacteria in the gut
were significantly reduced for up to four months in participants taking
clindamycin and up to 12 months in those taking ciprofloxacin.
Amoxicillin showed a less dramatic shift in microbial populations, but
was the largest contributor to increased antibiotic resistance.

Researchers
noted that participants from the UK came into the study with more
antibiotic resistance than did the subjects from Sweden. This could be
due to cultural differences and the significant decline in antibiotic
use in Sweden over the past 15 or 20 years.

Lead author Egija
Zaura, PhD, an associate professor in oral microbial ecology at the
Academic Centre for Dentistry in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, wrote that
microorganisms in study participants' feces were severely affected by
most of the antibiotics, with changes lasting for months. More
specifically, researchers reported a decrease in the number of desirable
microbes that produce butyrate, which inhibits inflammation, combats
cancer and reduces stress in the gut.

Lifesaving question: How do antibiotics increase the risk of disease?

While
antibiotic resistance may be at the center of the research results, the
affects on microbial populations in the gut have other far-reaching
impacts. Earlier research has shown that antibiotics can alter critical
gut microbiota that affect the body's vulnerability to contracting a
number of infectious diseases.

These differences in intestinal
flora may have a far-reaching impact on overall health and wellbeing.
For example, did you know that changes in the gut's microbe population
can leave the body vulnerable to infection, vitamin and mineral
deficiencies, obesity, inflammation of the gut, malabsorption and food
allergies?

Don't become a victim of poor medical advice.
Take control of your health, naturally, with INSTANT access to over 300
programs plus 200 integrative healthcare providers talking about the
best ways to REVERSE disease symptoms without the need for toxic drugs
or risky surgical procedures.

Why Prepping Is Hard

Why it’s so hard to be serious about prepping is up for debate, but
in my opinion, two simple factors make prepping as hard as it is:

Prepping encompasses a lot of different topics (outdoor skills, first aid, personal finance, self-sufficiency, etc.), and

We’re limited. Limited by a lack of time time, energy, funds, ability to concentrate, and a slew of other things.

While, for me, it’s easy to pinpoint why prepping is so hard, it’s
another story taking this knowledge of the difficult aspects of prepping
to turn them on their head and try to make prepping easier.
See it’s not like acknowledging that prepping encompasses a heck of a
lot of different topics helps us to be able to gain experience or
knowledge in those different fields.
Similarly, acknowledging the fact that we’re limited doesn’t help
make us any less limited. We still have budgets, time constraints,
energy drains, and all that other annoying stuff to worry about, no
matter the fact that we understand these limitations are actively
working toward making prepping harder.
So how can we make prepping easier? Is it even possible? Well, I’d argue that it is.

How to Make Prepping Easier

These are not shortcuts to becoming a successful prepper.
Realistically, unless you win the lottery – are awarded with a heck of a
lot of cash, use that money to build up a stockpile, get to quit your
day job and use the extra time to devote yourself fully to learning new
things about prepping – sad to say there really aren’t any shortcuts.
These are not tips that will make prepping so easy that your neighbour, who’s been prepper shaming
you for “wasting” all your hard earned money and all the extra free
time you’ve got, will now change her mind about the whole damn thing and
want to join you in prepping.
These methods of making prepping easier don’t take away the fact that
you have to see value in prepping and really have the motivation to try
to become a better prepper/survivalist in order to succed.
And these methods definitely don’t take away from the fact that preparedness is a lifestyle,
and not simply something that can be “completed” ever, only something
that you will be able to improve upon more and more as time, energy,
effort, and funds are poured into your prepper projects.
Now that that’s out of the way, what are these methods of making prepping easier?
Here are my ideas;

1. Teach yourself the things you’re most interested and passionate about first.

It helps you to keep momentum. Trying to get Thomas to learn about
starting a prepper garden would be like pulling a tooth. Encouraging him
to look at gear that could make prepping easier – now that’s something
he’d jump on doing, even during his downtime.
There are so many different aspects to prepping that it really should
be easy to find at least one that you’d be fascinated in starting to
learn about first. Don’t try forcing yourself to start prepping by doing
the “hard stuff” before the “easy stuff.” Start with those things that
come naturally to you, and feel more fun, and prepping will become much
easier to do.

2. If you’re prepping in a group, divide up tasks.

Sort of in line with the last example – Thomas is the gear guy
between the two of us. I don’t need to worry about researching gear
because if I did it and he did it, we’d, in my opinion, be wasting our
efforts on both doing the same task.
I’m into gardening and he hates it – clear who’s going to be doing
what there. And since he knows so much about first aid, he’ll continue
to learn more about it and be able to teach me what’s important for me
to know along the way.
Dividing up tasks if you’re prepping in a group is an absolutely wonderful way to cover more ground, get more done, and not get burned out as
easily. Each person has their own unique interests and excels at
different things – divvy up the responsibilities based on that and
you’ll be feeling your preps are doing a lot smoother sailing.

3. Start with easy preps.

Again along similar lines, start with prepping what’s easiest for you to do first.
Not only do I mean this in terms of starting with what you find more
fun and interesting, as I said in point #1 before, but if there’s a prep
you can quickly knock out of the way – do it! You’ll gain momentum from
the little wins, as it’s encouraging to see a large amount of progress
made over a short amount of time and with minimal energy and funds. The
little wins will help you to keep going, and will make prepping feel a
lot easier than if you’re working on huge, difficult projects to start
with.
If you’re not a beginner, try doing some easier or more fun preps
alongside the hard ones. If you’re working on a single large, difficult
prepper project that’s pretty draining, doing more quick, short, and fun
tasks simultaneously can really help take the bite out of the
frustration you might feel for having to work on such a huge, daunting
prepper project where you won’t be seeing results quickly.

4. Find a group of people who will encourage you and help congratulate you on your success at prepping.

Prepping is so much harder to do alone than it is in a group, but if
no one around you is interested in prepping and sees the value in it, it
can be difficult to reap the benefits from prepping in a group.
Your group doesn’t have to be large, but if you find even one or two
people who can encourage you and help to congratulate you on your
successes, help teach you new things and spur you on to continue
progressing with regards to your preps, it can be an enormous boon to
your motivation and can make prepping feel one heck of a lot easier.
If you don’t know any of these types of people yet – don’t stress.
You’re online, and that means you’re open to a world of possibilities
when it comes to finding the right people to help you on your journey
toward becoming a better prepper. Find the kind of community you’d like
to be a part of (shameless plug – you can always start off your search
on our community forum, Survival Threads), introduce yourself to
the already formed group, start sharing your knowledge and success
stories, and in no time I’m sure you’ll find that you’ve formed a group
of cheerleaders around you who can help you when you’re down and be
sincerely happy for your success when you’ve accomplished your goals
with regards to prepping.
A good group will help the good times feel even better and will make the hard times a lot easier to weather.

5. When you first start prepping, start by investing in cheaper products.

Don’t break the bank – not ever. There are a lot of affordable ways to go about prepping, from buying cheap and affordable priced survival gear, to stockpiling for free or next to nothing – hell there are many ways to even build up your gear and household goods stockpile or food stockpile
frugally. When you’re on a budget, don’t dip into your emergency funds
in order to prep. Those emergency savings are an important prep in
themselves and indubitably will prove to be quite valuable one day.
Stick to buying cheaper gear until you’ve got your basic ground covered
when it comes to prepping.
Once your basic preps are covered, you can begin to replace the
cheaper products you bought with higher quality items as time goes buy.
If you even need to that is. If your $15 Mora Companionis working out for you (which it should be; Moras are excellent pieces of kit
albeit the low price tag), don’t bother to upgrade. Replace your
cheaper survival gear with more expensive survival gear down the road,
as you have more funds to work with and, like I keep saying, after you’ve covered all your bases with cheap gear first. That way, you won’t be stressing out over money, and stockpiling survival gear
will feel a lot easier than if you were to have to splurge on the more
expensive gear first. You’ll also cover many more bases this way, as
saving up for one very expensive piece of kit will prevent you from
getting other gear that might come in handy even thought it might not
last you forever or be the kind of gear you’ll keep for an eternity.

Conclusion

There are so many reasons to prep,
though even if you know all the great perks to prepping, that doesn’t
make prepping any easier. These tips, however, I think will really help
to make prepping feel a lot less like a chore that needs to get done,
and a lot more like the completely doable lifestyle choice that it is.
It’s not impossible to be a prepper, it’s just hard. And if you can
make the hard a little less hard, there’s absolutely no harm in that.
Make prepping a little easier and you’re likely to have a lot more
success as a prepper. Learning and growing as a survivalist doesn’t have
to be as difficult as it sometimes looks!Do you find prepping hard?Can you think of any more ways to make prepping easier?

Survival Skills To Learn From Eskimo People

Research continues to
confirm that high doses of vitamin C injections destroy cancer, but
don’t expect to hear that from Big Pharma

Medical research continues to confirm the cancer-fighting effects of vitamin C. According to a new study published in Science,
high doses of vitamin C were able to destroy human colorectal cancers
cells harboring specific genetic mutations that are present in half of
these cancers.
The researchers used a cell culture and previous experiments in mice
to investigate the effects of high injections of vitamin C on cancer
cells. The original data came from an application of vitamin C and
metabolized types of vitamin C to a cell culture that contained mutated
cancer cells and wild type control cells. The cancerous cells had two
mutations that are often present in colorectal cancers.(1)

The results of the study suggested that colorectal cancer cells were
more likely to soak up the vitamin C metabolite than cells devoid of
those mutations. This is because of an upregulation of the protein that
draws vitamin C and its metabolites into cells. These cells bring in so
much of these chemicals that they self-destruct.

Vitamin C kicks Big C to the curve

The researchers then grafted the tumors with these mutations into
mice to investigate whether the results could be replicated in a living
animal. Scientists often experiment on mice to determine whether a
specific treatment would be effective or ineffective for people. Once
again, the researchers found that vitamin C annihilated the cells
carrying the mutations common in colorectal cancers cells.
Further research on the impact of vitamin C found that it minimized
the availability of intracellular energy units known as ATP, leading to a
hazardous lack of energy in these cells.(1)
The results of the study are significant because they highlight the
cellular steps involved in destroying cancer cells. The scientists
discovered that the therapeutically active chemical is the vitamin C
metabolite dehydroascorbate. The spike in vitamin C uptake was due to
the upregulation of a specific kind of transporter in mutated cells that
don’t take place in normal cells.(1)
This isn’t the first time vitamin C has been shown to annihilate
cancer. According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine
last February, people who receive high-dose injections of vitamin C can
boost the cancer killing effects of chemotherapy and could potentially
be a safe, low-cost treatment for ovarian cancers and other cancers.(2)
According to BBC News, the scientists injected vitamin C
into human ovarian cancer cells in the lab, into mice and into patients
with advanced ovarian cancer. They found ovarian cancer cells were
sensitive to vitamin C treatment but normal cells were unharmed.
The treatment also worked alongside chemotherapy drugs to slow the
growth of tumors in mice. In addition, a small group of patients claimed
to have experienced fewer side effects of chemotherapy given vitamin C,
than patients who were not given vitamin C.

Human trials unlikely because drug companies cannot patent vitamins

Although the case for the cancer-fighting effects of vitamin C
continues to grow, don’t expect a large-scale clinical human trial
funded by the federal government to replicate these results. The reason?
Because drug companies can’t patent vitamins.
Such trials require major funding that usually includes
pharmaceutical companies involved in the development of a patented drug.
Obviously, Big Pharma would not be interested in promoting the
medicinal benefits of natural substances like vitamin C, which would
otherwise destroy the multi-billion dollar cancer industry.
“Because vitamin C has no patent potential, its development will not
be supported by pharmaceutical companies,” says Qi Chen, lead author of
the new study. “We believe that the time has arrived for research
agencies to vigorously support thoughtful and meticulous clinical trials
with intravenous vitamin C,” he added.(2)
In the meantime, let’s just wait and see until vitamin C fully kicks the Big C to the curb.

“After Armageddon”: Marine Shows How to Survive An Urban Disaster

Metropolitan areas can change in an instant with a major catastrophe.
Hundreds of thousands of people could be gone just as quickly.
Society could be unraveled by any number of scenarios, and it could
leave you stranded, without loved ones and desperate to secure food,
water and shelter. Escape to the countryside or a remote location may
not be feasible. Could you survive in an urban environment if the SHTF
and everything you knew was gone?
Rudy Reyes, a veteran Recon Marine, lends his expertise and shows how
to survive an urban environment, find resources inside a broken city,
all while avoiding other survivors whose interests can’t be assumed to
align with yours.

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Archbishop Lefebvre

“This Second Vatican Council Reform, since it has issued from Liberalism and from Modernism, is entirely corrupt; it comes from heresy and results in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical. It is thus impossible for any faithful Catholic who is aware of these things to adopt this Reform, or to submit to it in any way at all. To ensure our salvation, the only attitude of fidelity to the Church and to Catholic doctrine, is a categorical refusal to accept the Reform.”

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Archbishop Lefebvre

“And we have the precise conviction that this new rite of Mass expresses a new faith, a faith which is not ours, a faith which is not the Catholic Faith. This New Mass is a symbol, is an expression, is an image of a new faith, of a Modernist faith. ….Now it is evident that the new rite, if I may say so, supposes another conception of the Catholic religion-another religion.”

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Archbishop Lefebvre

That Conciliar Church is a schismatic Church, because it breaks with the Catholic Church that has always been. It has its new dogmas, its new priesthood, its new institutions, its new worship, all already condemned by the Church in many a document, official and definitive.... The Church that affirms such errors is at once schismatic and heretical. This Conciliar Church is, therefore, not Catholic. To whatever extent Pope, Bishops, priests, or faithful adhere to this new Church, they separate themselves from the Catholic Church...

Fr. Hesse Summary on Vatican II

Vatican II = Heretical & Schismatic

Exposing Vatican II & New Mass, Fr. Villa

Archbishop Lefebvre

“Well, we are not of this religion. We do not accept this new religion. We are of the religion of all time; we are of the Catholic religion. We are not of this 'universal religion' as they call it today-this is not the Catholic religion any more. We are not of this Liberal, Modernist religion which has its own worship, its own priests, its own faith, its own catechisms, its own Bible, the 'ecumenical Bible'-these things we do not accept."

Traditional Quotes & Prayers

The Real 3rd Secret of Fatima

Inlcudes Vatican II and the soon Apostate Church..."...because Fatima is a very apocalyptic message. It says that no matter what happens there are going to be terrible wars, there are going to be diseases, whole nations are going to be wiped out, there are going to be 3 days darkness, there are going to be epidemics that will wipe out whole nations overnight, parts of the earth will be washed away at sea and violent tornadoes and storms. It's not a nice message at all." Fr Malachi Martin

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Pope XII: “Suicide Of Altering the Faith In Her Liturgy…..”

"I am worried by the Blessed Virgin's messages to Lucy of Fatima. This persistence of Mary about the dangers which menace the Church is a divine warning against the suicide of altering the Faith, in Her liturgy, Her theology and Her soul. … I hear all around me innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the Church, reject Her ornaments and make Her feel remorse for Her historical past."A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God. In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them. Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, 'Where have they taken Him?'"

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St. Bernard:

Go forth confidently then, you knights, and repel the foes of the cross of Christ with a stalwart heart. Know that neither death nor life can separate you from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ, and in every peril repeat, "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." What a glory to return in victory from such a battle! How blessed to die there as a martyr! Rejoice, brave athlete, if you live and conquer in the Lord; but glory and exult even more if you die and join your Lord. Life indeed is a fruitful thing and victory is glorious, but a holy death is more important than either. If they are blessed who die in the Lord, how much more are they who die for the Lord!

How secure, I say, is life when death is anticipated without fear; or rather when it is desired with feeling and embraced with reverence! How holy and secure this knighthood and how entirely free of the double risk run by those men who fight not for Christ! Whenever you go forth, O worldly warrior, you must fear lest the bodily death of your foe should mean your own spiritual death, or lest perhaps your body and soul together should be slain by him.

Indeed, danger or victory for a Christian depends on the dispositions of his heart and not on the fortunes of war. If he fights for a good reason, the issue of his fight can never be evil; and likewise the results can never be considered good if the reason were evil and the intentions perverse. If you happen to be killed while you are seeking only to kill another, you die a murderer. If you succeed, and by your will to overcome and to conquer you perchance kill a man, you live a murderer. Now it will not do to be a murderer, living or dead, victorious or vanquished. What an unhappy victory--to have conquered a man while yielding to vice, and to indulge in an empty glory at his fall when wrath and pride have gotten the better of you!

But what of those who kill neither in the heat of revenge nor in the swelling of pride, but simply in order to save themselves? Even this sort of victory I would not call good, since bodily death is really a lesser evil than spiritual death. The soul need not die when the body does. No, it is the soul which sins that shall die.

The knight of Christ, I say, may strike with confidence and die yet more confidently, for he serves Christ when he strikes, and serves himself when he falls. Neither does he bear the sword in vain, for he is God's minister, for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of the good. If he kills an evildoer, he is not a mankiller, but, if I may so put it, a killer of evil. He is evidently the avenger of Christ towards evildoers and he is rightly considered a defender of Christians. Should he be killed himself, we know that he has not perished, but has come safely into port.

Once he finds himself in the thick of battle, this knight sets aside his previous gentleness, as if to say, "Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord; am I not disgusted with your enemies?" These men at once fall violently upon the foe, regarding them as so many sheep. No matter how outnumbered they are, they never regard these as fierce barbarians or as awe-inspiring hordes. Nor do they presume on their own strength, but trust in the Lord of armies to grant them the victory.

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Saint Athanasius

"May God console you! ... What saddens you ... is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises – but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you. Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the Faith?The true Faith, obviously. Who has lost and who has won in the struggle – the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the Faith? True, the premises are good when the Apostolic Faith is preached there; they are holy if everything takes place there in a holy way ..."You are the ones who are happy; you who remain within the Church by your Faith, who hold firmly to the foundations of the Faith which has come down to you from Apostolic Tradition. And if an execrable jealousy has tried to shake it on a number of occasions, it has not succeeded. They are the ones who have broken away from it in the present crisis. No one, ever, will prevail against your Faith, beloved Brothers. And we believe that God will give us our churches back some day. "Thus, the more violently they try to occupy the places of worship, the more they separate themselves from the Church. They claim that they represent the Church; but in reality, they are the ones who are expelling themselves from it and going astray. Even if Catholics faithful to Tradition are reduced to a handful, they are the ones who are the true Church of Jesus Christ."